Pillar of Strength
by icecoldapplefangs13
Summary: After coming back from her vacation in Germany, Franziska is left helpless and alone. Can Miles Edgeworth, her adoptive sibling, be the one to pick up her peices and put her back together? Rated M for EdgeworthxFranziska :  x
1. Attacked

Chapter 1

Glancing yet again at the clock I bit firmly onto my bottom lip, frustrated by the mountain of paperwork that sat next to me. Of all the days to receive huge amounts of paperwork, it was today. The day where I really couldn't sit here signing documents and such. I glanced at the clock again, my heart picking up into a near frenzy. Her plane would be landing in 45 minutes. By her, I meant Franziska Von Karma, one of the most unlikely people I would be taking out for a meal tonight. She was returning from her rather long vacation just in time for her 19th birthday, in which I had suggested she celebrate. She had never cared much for parties, even when she was very young. But I managed to persuade her that an evening meal was just the right thing, a chance to catch up in important court cases. I think that was the thing that had got her the most. After the very quick-and expensive, foreign calls are not cheap- conversation I made arrangements to pick her up from the airport on the day she came back. And it was this day that I was stuck inside my office, with nothing but a stack of papers and the thumping and cracking of the fearless rain against my window.

I resisted the urge to look at the clock again, telling myself that it would only waist more time. I took my pen swiftly in my hand and grabbed the first paper on the towering pile, a clock in itself.

My hand was throbbing by the time I finished, not a big surprise. I sighed in relief as I stared at the fully completed work standing proudly on my desk. I took a deep breath and practically winced and I turned to look at the dreaded clock.

"Dammit!" I muttered under my breath, reaching for my pen again. It had taken a lot longer than I thought. I quickly scribbled on a spare piece of paper 'to be filed' and stuck it on top of my finished paperwork. I swiped my jacket off the back of the chair and, as I pulled it on, reached into the draw of my desk for a thin, black box tied in a silky blue bow. Although I was alone, I felt embarrassed, and slid it quickly into my pocket. I smoothed out my cravat and ran out of the door, slamming it as I did. I winced, praying that I hadn't just caused the paper stack to fall. I ignored it, for now, and hurried down to the prosecution parking lot.

'If I hurry, I'll make it in time" I muttered under my breath, to maintain myself. A self reassurance, if you will. The parking lot floor had turned a deeper, more blander shade of grey by the dripping water from the ceiling. As I dodged the puddles, trying to remember where I parked, I suddenly remembered something I had been needing to take. My umbrella. I moaned loudly as I glanced back at the heavily pouring rain outside, the icy wind whipping through my hair.

'I can't go back now' I thought wryly 'I'll just have to put up with it.' And with that, I threw myself into my car and sped out of the parking lot, into the fading light of the evening.

'I really didn't want to have to do this' I thought as I rested my head against the steering wheel in defeat. I had circled the airport parking lot like a hungry vulture, starving for a space. But it was packed full, like a sardine tin, and I had resulted to finding the nearest other car park, a walk away from the airport. I wouldn't have minded it, generally, after all walking was no problem. It was just in the rain. It was coming down heavily now, slamming against my car windshield. Franziska was going to kill me for making her walk in this, that's for sure. So, putting on a brave face and making sure the gift was safely away in my pocket, I stepped out into the rain and hurried towards the airport. I suppose it didn't really make a difference if I ran or not, I was still getting soaked. So I simply walked briskly, thinking that maybe I would have to change our reservations so that I would have time to go home and change. As I was headed towards the overly large airport, I spotted a small alleyway, in which I could see the planes taking off at the other side. It was a rather long alleyway, but I was pretty sure it was quicker than going to long way round. I felt another icy chill race up mine spine as I headed down the small alley, gruffly cursing the cold weather. As I continued into the alleyway, I noticed that the buildings and a lot of extra space carved in them, making it seem much wider than before, but unable to see when looking straight through. As I walked, I though ideally about what I should discuss at dinner with Franziska. Of course, I would discuss recent events and court cases, the usual. But I didn't know whether to ask about her 'vacation'. I believed she had gone there for personal reasons and I wondered if she would be offended if I asked. 'Probably, knowing Franziska' I smiled at the thought. A loud crash interrupted my thought, scattering them in the puddles. The sound seemed incredibly close, like it had happened right next to me and I recognised the sound as metal clashing together, much like a trashcan falling over. I didn't think too much of the noise at first, after all it was incredibly windy. But as I came to another opening of the alleyway, I realised that the noise was much more important than a simple trash can falling over. I saw two large figures pressed against the wall, the backs turned to me. They were tall, I noticed, about the same height as myself. I could hear them laughing, their sneers echoing along the cluttered brick walls. But as one of them moved slightly, I noticed a figure between them, around their feet. My heart froze inside my chest, my eyes wide, my jaw on a hinge. The figure was shaking violently and I recognised her clothes immediately, even though they were ripped to mere shreds.

"Get away from her" I barked loudly, storming across the cobblestones towards them. The two figures looked at me quickly, before rushing to grab something and running in the opposite direction. I tried to chase them but as I reached her, my knees felt weak. I fell to them silently, my trousers already absorbing all nearby puddles. Franziska Von Karma, a woman I had looked at as strong, independent and willing person. Of all the times I imagined her, it was never like this. Her hands were wrapped around her knees tightly, her leather gloves nowhere to be seen, leaving her slender hands turning a pale blue. Her skirt was ripped up the side forcefully, looking like it had been torn with a knife. Her tights lay around her feet, her shoes tossed clumsily to the side. I could feel my throat closing up, as if I was choking. I was, speechless. The large bow on her chest had been ripped, her broach nowhere to be seen and her waistcoat buttons had been popped open, breaking them. She was sobbing loudly into her knees, her sobs tearing through my chest and piercing my heart. But her sobs were, weak. She was shivering in the heavy rain and her sobs were getting quieter, as if she had cried herself out.

"Franziska?" I whispered, my voice hoarse. Her head snapped up immediately her eyes painted red with tears, her cheeks painted black with makeup.

"M-Miles?" she whispered. Her voice sounder sore and weak. I saw a new wave of tears roll down her cheeks as she flung herself at me with the last of her energy. I caught her carefully in my arms, cradling her against my chest. It was only then that I realised she was bleeding. I pulled my hand up to find it covered in blood and I pulled her back slightly to see. There was a large cut down the side of her neck, too shallow to do immediate severe damage, thank god. I could also see scratches across her face and on her hands.

"Oh, god…Franziska" I whispered, pulling her back to me "What happened?" The raindrops fell from my hair and onto the top of her head as she cried against me, her body shaking against mine.

"M-Miles" She said my name again, sounding almost like a plea now.

"Come on" I said quickly "You can't stay out here." I unbuttoned my jacket and placed it over her shoulders before scooping her up into my arms. She lent quickly into my chest, cringing away from the cold and the rain, and I could see her gripping my jacket firmly. I pulled her closer to me as I stood up and quickly began picking up her strewn clothing. I headed back the way I came, up and out of the alleyway and back towards the parking lot, my eyes mainly focused on Franziska. She was still shivering and her skin was looking bluer than before, a bad sign.

'Nearly there, nearly there, nearly there' I repeated over and over again in my head. I opened the car quickly, swiftly ducking down to lay Franziska across the back seat. I grabbed a blanket from the chair and draped it over her, my hands finding it hard to let go of her.

"Miles" she whispered, her voice still shaky "W-where are we g-going?"

"Were going to the hospital" I said quickly, trying to sound a reassuring as possible "You need to go there now."

"No" She cried, gripping my shirt tightly "No, please."

"Franziska, you need to go to the hospital" I said sternly, annoyed by her stubbornness. Did she not notice the wound on her neck.

"N-No, please" She slurred, her voice fading "Don't tell anyone, please." She fell silent, her heavy breathing synchronizing with the falling rain. I sighed heavily and closed the door before getting quickly into the drivers seat. I sped out of the parking lot, headed for not the hospital, but my apartment.


	2. Vulnerable

Chapter 2

Swiftly kicking open my front door, I kept a tight grip around Franziska as I headed straight for my bedroom. I laid her quickly onto the crimson bed covers before reaching into my closet for a first aid kit. I was a little annoyed that she had refused to go to the hospital but I could not deny her wishes, especially not now. Franziska was breathing heavily, arching her back off of the bed, her eyelids fluttering. I grabbed the bandages from the box and carefully lifted her head up, brushing away stray strands of hair from her neck. I grabbed a handful of bandages and began tow wind them around her neck, pressing firmly against the wound. She winced as I did this but she didn't say anything. It seemed she was still tired from her journey, not to mention the incident afterwards. As I bandaged the ones on her hands and wrists, I could feel my eyes pricking angrily. Why wasn't I there earlier? I could have saved this from happening. We would be at my favourite French restaurant by now, eating and socializing and I would present to her my gift that I had spent a long time looking for. I couldn't help but feeling guilty over what had happened and I knew that this was going to be another heavy burden on my shoulders. Franziska's clothes were still soaked but I laid her under the covers anyway, wrapping them tightly around her. Her eyes were closed, leaving only her pale lavender eyelids visible. Her bottom lip was still trembling a little but she seemed to be drifting to sleep now. I sighed heavily as I stepped back to look at her. How did this happen? Why couldn't I have been there in time? And, probably the most important one. What did they do to her? Staring at her now, I prayed that it wasn't what I thought it was. What they did was bad enough already, surely they couldn't have…I shook my head fiercely and headed quickly and quietly out of the room. I couldn't believe this had happened to her again.

_Hearing a loud thumping noise from the hallway I jumped suddenly, dropping my book on the floor. I raced boldly into the other room to find the source of the noise, only to be met by my adoptive father._

"_M-Mr. Von Karma" I stammered, surprised to see him here. He wasn't meant to be back this early. He had decided that I was old enough now to stay at home while he went out, on the condition that I do some 'studying' while he was gone. I had read nearly all of the law books stacked against the couch, my mind beginning to tire of the same thing written differently. On more than one occasion I had eyed the large chess set in the corner of the room, but I stayed put. I knew how Mr. Von Karma could shout and I wasn't prepared to be that frightened again. But here, in the hallway now, I could see him holding Franziska in his arms, facing away from me. I could tell it was her, just by her tiny shoes._

"_Thank you for staying here, Miles" he said quickly. He began to walk away from me._

"_B-But wait!" I cried, running after him "Where's Franziska going?" I tried to stand on my tip toes to see her but I failed._

"_She's tired" He said sternly "She's going to bed." And with that, he stepped into Franziska's room, slamming the door. I frowned and pouted as I stared at the door. I could tell, even then, that he was hiding something from me. Franziska normally burst through the door, running to tell me about where she went and what she did. But this time, she hadn't. 'Maybe' I thought ideally 'Maybe she really was tired, maybe she fell asleep in the car again.' But she didn't come out of her room. Mr. Von Karma and I had dinner in silence as I listened out for the pitter patter of her footsteps down the hall. But she didn't come out. She must've been really tired to miss dinner. But every time I asked I got no reply from Mr. Von Karma, just an icy glare that made me shut up and look away/ After dinner, he was on the phone all night. He made me wait in my room while he made these 'important' calls and before I knew it I had fallen asleep. _

_The sound that woke me up was not a pleasant one. I had screamed loudly and curled up into a shivering ball under my bed covers, waiting for the shaking. I looked up, gasping. Nothing. I looked around, confused as to when I had fallen asleep and what time it was now. And, more importantly, what that strange noise was that woke me. I heard it again, a sharp crack from outside, making me jump again. I sighed heavily, my heart racing. It was not an earthquake, as I had first thought. It was just the lightning outside. _

'_Just the lightning, just the lightning' I repeated over and over in my head. But I could see the shadows creeping up my bedroom walls and it felt like the room was closing in. I shut my eyes tightly, only to be met by the sound of screaming and a loud gunshot. I shook my head forcefully, blinking quickly. I wasn't going to let myself bring those memories up again, not again. I jumped quickly out of my bed, gripping tightly to my pyjama sleeves, and slipped out of my bedroom. The hallway light was on, bright and piercing, making me squint against it. I tiptoed carefully past Mr. Von Karma's room, his loud snores echoing through the thin walls. I could never be too careful. 'He could just be pretending to sleep' I thought to myself as a precaution. I winced as I opened Franziska's bedroom door, annoyed by the loud creaking noise. I held my breath, waiting to feel a firm hand on my shoulder. The snoring stuttered slightly but continued as I breathed a sigh of relief. Although the room was dark, the moonlight shone through the windows, lightning up Franziska's face. She was sat up in her bed, staring at one of her toys in the corner with almost desperate eyes._

"_Franziska?" I whispered, taking a step closer. She looked at me suddenly, before smiling warmly. _

"_Hi, Miles" She did her best to grin. There was another bolt of lightning outside, making us both jump._

"_Why aren't you asleep?" I asked, sitting on the end of her bed._

"_I'm not tired" She yawned loudly. I chuckled, making her glare. "My arm hurts" she said quickly._

"_Your arm?" I asked, curiosity deepened my voice._

"_Could you pass me my teddy?" Franziska said quickly, ignoring my question. I looked over at where she had been staring._

"_Of course" I said quickly, fumbling over to the other side of the room to retrieve her beloved teddy bear. She took it quickly out of my hands, cuddling it to her chest with one arm._

"_So, what happened to your arm?" I asked again, sitting on the end of her bed._

"_I broke it" She whispered, holding it up from out of the covers. In the pale moonlight, I could faintly see the purplish bruises painted on her skin. Her arm was at a slight angle and it looked sore. I winced at the thought._

"_How did you brake it?" I asked, shuffling closer up the bed. Franziska sighed in defeat and I could see her bottom lip trembling slightly._

"_When we were out" She whispered "I got lost from papa in an alleyway." She paused, still staring out of the window. I waited silently for her to continue. "I was trying to find him" She said with a sigh "But I couldn't." I could see her bottom lip trembling more heavily now. "I tried to find him but then these men grabbed me by the arm and twisted it and it broke" She said quickly, her eyes swimming. "They pushed me against the wall and hit me" She sobbed, tears running down her cheeks. I froze, my eyes wide. She was attacked, just today. And I didn't know. If only I'd been there. "Papa found me though" She hiccupped, looking down at her teddy "He scared them off and then we came home. He told me not to tell you what happened." Another fat tear rolled down her cheek as she stared into my eyes, waiting for me to reply._

"_I'm sorry, Franziska" I whispered, lost for words "I-I wish" I buried my face into my hands, sighing loudly "Why wasn't I there?" If only I had gone with them, I could have stopped it from happening. I could have stopped her from getting hurt._

"_M-Miles?" She whispered. I felt a hand on my back and I looked up to see her gazing at me, her eyes almost apologetic._

"_I'm sorry" I whispered "I'm sorry I wasn't there" I could fee l the anger rising in my throat._

"_Wait" She whispered as I began to stand up. I turned to face her._

"_Will you stay here tonight?" She asked quickly "I'm, um, I'm scared of the thunder." I smiled as the room fell silent. I knew she was lying, she wasn't scared of thunder, but I agreed anywhere. As I climbed in next to her she clung to me tightly, resting her head on my lap._

"_If you see those guys again, I'll beat them up for you" I said boldly. I felt her body shake as she laughed against me. It wasn't a strong laugh, but it was a laugh none the less._

"_Your warm" She whispered slowly, her eyes drooping. I ran my fingers through her hair as her breathing became heavier and heavier. Her body was so soft, so fragile against mine that I felt the need to hug her tighter, feeling a need to protect her. It seemed she was asleep now, her breathing slow and heavy. I yawned loudly, suddenly overwhelmed with tiredness. All my worries from before, my bad dreams, my regrets, had gone. I had a feeling that I was going to sleep well tonight, knowing that I wasn't quite alone in a world that seemed so lonely._

"_Goodnight, Franziska" I whispered, kissing the top of her head._


	3. Bittersweet

Chapter 3__

The water pounded heavily against my shoulders, emerging me from my vivid flashback. I combed my fingers through my wet, messy hair, leaning against the cold tiles of the shower. I could feel the heaviness of the day pressing down on me as I exhaled loudly, exhausted. My thoughts had delved into the matter of Franziska, not for the first time today. But there was still one question that lingered in my mind, that danced on the tip of my tongue. What now? I suppose I would have to get her to a hospital some time, that's for sure, to at least find out the most that I could. But, where would she go? Her father had been executed almost a year ago now and the little remains of her family lived in Germany. She would be alone, getting through day by day by prosecuting. Just like me. I let the water rain down on the back of my head, drowning out my thoughts. My body shook as I felt the hot tears run down my cheeks, invisible against the scorching water. I felt the realisation wash over me as I cried for the first time for as long as I could remember. I was tired of having the weight of the world lean against me, a feeling I had been suppressing for far too long. I wiped the tears from my eyes with the back of my hand, inhaling deeply. I couldn't be weak at a time like this, I would have to bare with these feelings for a little longer. For there was someone who was in need of help more than I was.

I peeked in the opening of the door, holding my breath as I did. Franziska had moved, her body slumped against the headboard, the rising and falling of her chest barely visible in the dim light of the desk lamp. I closed the door quietly behind me, balancing a full glass of water in my hand. Franziska twitched a little, before I saw her eyes open suddenly, gazing at me.

"Your awake" I gasped, a smile spreading on my face.

"M-Miles?" She whispered, her sore voice casting my mind back to the alleyway. The blood…her tears.

"I, um" I said nervously, my voice hollow and weak "I brought you some water." I sat on the edge of the bed, holding out the glass to her.

"Thank you" She smiled weakly, taking the glass from me. Her smile made my heart jolt inside my chest. She drank the water greedily and I wondered when she last had a drink.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked, taking the glass from slightly shaking hands.

"I'm a little cold" she whispered, gripping at her damp and blood-soaked clothes.

"Ah, of course" I said quickly, heading over to my wardrobe "I don't really have anything suitable for a young lady" I mused, flicking through my clothes "But you can wear this until your clothes are dry." I held out one of my crimson dress shirts, something that was far too big for her. Franziska looked at me like I was insane, a look I had received so many times in the past that it made me want to laugh now. She was still herself, I always knew that.

"You can go home" I said quickly "I-If you want." My smile faded quickly, as did her glare. She shook her head gently.

"I don't want to go home" she hiccupped, looking down into her lap. I felt a flood of warmth through me as a shiver raced up my spine. She held out her arm for the shirt, facing away from me. I handed it to her and swiftly left the room, being the gentleman I was. I waited, slumped against the door. 'I don't want to go home' she had said. I could understand why. After just being attacked, she'd be scared to go back to an empty apartment. But she had said it, almost desperately. Like she didn't want to be anywhere but here. The door opening behind me made me jump, leaning foreword so that I didn't fall clumsily to the floor.

"Here you go" She whispered, handing me her clothes and shoes. She was dressed in my shirt, just my shirt, her slender curves still visible through the draping fabric.

"You didn't need to get up" I said quickly, worried. She smiled weakly as I followed her back inside, placing her clothes neatly in the wash bin for tomorrow. I could hear the rain still pounding against the window, seeming that it had not stopped raining since my trip to the airport. She climbed back into the middle of the bed as I merely sat of the edge, my mind swimming with questions.

"Are you sure you ok?" I began, still worried.

"I'm just a little, shocked" She whispered, gazing back down at her lap again, her bottom lip trembling. She pulled more of the duvet over her, gripping the fabric tightly.

"I'm sorry" I blurted, my voice weak "I should have been their earlier, I knew I should have just left my paperwork. I could've been at the airport and none of this would have happened." I ran my fingers through my hair nervously, a little surprised by my outburst.

"It's not your fault" she said quickly, reassuringly "I left the airport to head back to my car, I was going to come meet you to save you the journey." I studied her face closely, watching her expressions. She seemed, scared, of course, a look of slight panic stuck across her face. But I could see she was trying to hold it in, trying to live up to her name. Like a Von Karma, you hide your emotions, your true feelings. You show no weakness.

"Franziska?" I asked again, my voice low "What did they want from you? What did they do to you?" The snarling anger of my voice rang in my head. Franziska jumped, a little shocked at my tone, before she burst into tears. I froze as I felt my heart sink inside my chest.

"I-It was horrible" she sobbed into her hands "T-They were trying to rape me, they cut me." Each tear that she cried felt like another wound to my chest. The fear she must have felt, to bring a famous Von Karma to such a weak, vulnerable state.

"I-I tried to push them away" She sniffed, drying her eyes "But they took my whip and they were hitting my head against the wall to try and knock me unconscious."

"Franziska, I-" I began, leaning out to rest a hand on her arm. But I pulled away, unable to finish my sentence. The room fell silent, only the sound of the pouring rain above our heads and the weakening sobs of Franziska could be heard.

"Where are you going to sleep?" Franziska whispered, deliberately changing the subject. I was a little taken aback by the sudden question.

"Oh, I was just going to sleep on the couch" I said glumly, taking it as my cue to leave. I stood up from the bed, wanting to take another long look at her. Her silver hair hung around her shoulders, died red with blood at the edges. Her pale cheeks were still drenched in mascara from earlier and her lip was still trembling. Her body shook violently in my shirt. "Are you still cold?" I asked quickly. As she nodded, I grabbed my jacket from the floor and knelt down beside her, wrapping it around her shoulders. It had dried quicker than her clothes and although it was still a little damp, it was the best I had. I pressed a hand to her forehead. She was cold and yet, her skin felt hot to touch. I feared she had come down with a fever, although I wasn't surprised. I slid my hand around the bandage on her neck, able to feel the warmth of the blood beneath it. I would have to re-bandage it tomorrow, but I was still unaware if she needed stitches.

"Goodnight" I whispered, staring into her wide, blue eyes, my hand cradled her face. I stood up swiftly, turning for the door.

"Wait!" she cried, grabbing my sleeve. I turned suddenly, surprised her boldness. "Can you, stay here?" she whispered, her voice shaky "I'm s-scared and I won't be able sleep." She stared into my eyes, her face pleading. As I gazed back at her I could almost feel her pain piercing through me, feel the loneliness that had chained her, feel the fear that swarmed her mind. My mouth was dry as I replied, as if I didn't really know what I was saying. I suppose, at the time, I didn't. I had been so moved by her plea that I reversed all my previous theories, all the things I would have done, would have said. None of that mattered in that short space of time. I felt something pulling at me, something that I had only vaguely had a taste of once before. Something so sweet that it brought smiles to my stone cold face and made me feel warm in the coldest winter. Yet something so powerful that it stirred my emotions and played with my feelings, so dangerous that it was able to rid my sense of responsibility and swiftly change the way I looked at things. And yet the words I said that night, the ones that I thought would have no effect on me, turned out to be one of the most important words in my life. Words that would later end up saving me from the black swirling mass of nothing that I was slowly slipping into.

"Of course" I whispered dryly, feeling a smile creep unexpectedly onto my face "Are you going to move up?"


	4. Dreams

Chapter 4

Feeling her warmth pressed against me, I was surprised at what I was doing. However, I couldn't deny that I was comfortable. Franziska had pressed herself against me as soon as I had taken off my waistcoat and climbed in. Her skin was burning up and yet she was shivering, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. I sat propped up against the headboard in the darkness, my hands resting above my head.

"Your warm" Franziska whispered, her voice an echo of her own words, 16 years earlier. Her voice sounded more controlled and less panicky than before but her words were slightly slurred. She wrapped her arm around my waist, her head resting on my lap. I felt a little sad as I realised that I had completely forgotten the last time I had shared a bed with someone. I tried not to think back to the last time. My mind was still riddled with questions, questions that I'd been to much of a coward to properly ask. What did those thugs want with Franziska? Surely it wasn't just a random mugging. Another thing that had bothered me was her whip. I hadn't seen it since I gave it back to her, the day she left for Germany. She was usually never seen without her whip and yet she didn't have it with her. I loud gasp interrupted my thoughts and, at first, I didn't realise it had been me. But as I regained my senses I slowly felt Franziska drape her leg lazily over mine. I felt a shock shoot up my spine, making my head spin. But Franziska didn't seem to notice my bold reactions. She was fast asleep, her fragile chest rising and falling against me. I carefully slid a hand around her back, pulling her tighter against me as my other hand lay carelessly next to hers. I began to feel the days events press down on me-not for the first time today-as I felt my eyes beginning to droop. All the stress and the worry seemed to be leaking out of me as I felt the familiar wave of unconsciousness take over. I felt my head drop down and I could smell the sweetness of Franziska's hair, a comforting smell that reminded me of my childhood. I heard something low, like someone was saying something but I was already asleep before I was able to hear it.

"_Franziska!" I screamed, staring down at her limp body. She was slumped against the wall, her clothes and the cobblestones of the alleyway painted crimson with her blood. Her eyes opened weakly, searching to find me._

"_Miles?" She whispered, her voice so quiet and weak._

"_Franziska, I'm right here" I cried, kneeling down and cradling her to my chest. She held onto me tightly, wrapping her legs around my waist as I picked her up off the street. I ran down the alleyway, the hospital just in sight when I was stopped as a large, metal wall fell in front of me. I stopped dead in my tracks as Franziska continued to whimper against my chest. I turned around only to be met by another wall. There was another to my left and to my right until I found myself in a box._

"_No…no…" I whispered, shaking my head. It couldn't be. I gripped tightly to Franziska as I heard the familiar sound of the elevator doors closing. I slumped against the wall, panting heavily as the voices rang through my head._

'_Daddy, you did so well today!' I closed my eyes tightly, ignoring the fact that I could feel the lift rising. 'When I'm older, I'm going to be just like you!' I continued to shake my head, trying to shake away these sudden new found memories. The elevator doors dinged open and as I forced open my eyes, I was met by a familiar face at the doors._

'_Well, well, well' He laughed, standing just outside of the lift. I gripped tightly to Franziska, shielding her away from her father. 'Looks like your fighting for two, Miles.' His low, barking laughed echoed through the walls as I saw the doors close once again. The light on the ceiling flickered and I felt a familiar sense of fear run over my body. I cringed into Franziska as the walls began to shake, making my eyes fill with tears. 'Not again, not again, not again' I repeated, over and over in my head. There was a loud, metallic noise before I felt the lift drop. The force of the fall whipped my hair around my face as I cradled Franziska tighter to my chest. I leaned my forehead against hers, breathing heavily as the lift continued to fall. This was it, this was were it ended. I felt something warm beneath my hand, the familiar feeling of fresh blood. As I held Franziska out, she fell suddenly out of my arms, her head hitting the elevator floor. But her eyes were stiff and cold, her body still. The colour had drained from her cheeks as the blood began to seep from under her._

"_Oh, god, Franziska, No!" I cried, reaching out for her. But as I did, I felt the slam of the elevator hit the floor, a sure sign it was over._

I sat up swiftly, gasping for air as I took in my surroundings. I was in my bed, in my apartment, safe. I sighed heavily, relieved as I ran my hand over my sweaty forehead. The dream, the awful dream I had, I could have sworn I had dreamt it before, sometime in my childhood. I shook my head as if to shake away the bad dream, focusing more on the slim, dainty figure next to me. Franziska was still laying on my lap, fast asleep with no blood in sight, to my relief. I exhaled loudly as I began to feel my heart rate slow again. 'Just a dream, just a dream' I told myself over and over. I continued to distract myself by once again gazing at Franziska. I couldn't help but feel, a little surprised. It still shocked me the way Franziska was almost, breaking down. She had always been a strong person and it was in her name to hide her emotions. After all, that's what her father did. All the years I spent under his care, I never really felt any kind of care from him. He was kind to me, he fed me and trained me to become a skilful lawyer. But sometimes, I think that's all he wanted. Another successor. I felt kindness but I never felt any sort of love as a father. And I'm pretty sure Franziska had received the same treatment. Although Franziska had gotten everything she wanted with a snap of her fingers (or her whip) I'm sure that she had felt the same as I felt from Von Karma.

Franziska sighed heavily in her sleep, stretching her arms above her head. I suppose it made me feel better, knowing that she wasn't so alone anymore. And yet, I knew how she felt. If this hadn't of happened, we would both be alone, in our apartments, same job, same routine. And we were so close and yet so far apart. We knew each other so well, lived together, even grew up together. And yet, there was still a distance between us. We had always been, almost awkward around each other and yet we could be in awkward situations without feeling pressure. It was strange, strange that we were so different and yet still so alike. We both fought fearlessly in court and-until a couple of years ago-we had both been determined to find a guilty verdict in court, no matter what the cost. We both often kept our feelings to ourselves, we had no remaining family. Well, I didn't. Franziska had an older sister back in Germany, along with her brother-in-law and her niece. But she didn't talk about them at all, I only found out about them when I heard Mr. Von Karma speaking on the phone to his eldest daughter, back when I was younger. I had the feeling that he was prouder of his elder daughter and I think Franziska knew this. That was probably why she never spoke of her sister. I yawned loudly as I began to feel overwhelmed with tiredness again, all sense of panic washed away. I knew I had to work tomorrow and I could hear my bedside clock ticking away, a constant reminder that I really should be sleeping. I looked back at Franziska, who was laying on her back now, her arms over her head. Her chest rose and fell gently, a repetitive motion to accompany the steady beat of her heart. I leaned my face carefully over hers, taking in her slightly parted lips and her flushed cheeks. I could feel my head spinning, as if suddenly reacting to the atmosphere. Her breathing was heavy and slow, she was asleep. My emotions seemed to rid me of my common sense, for once, as I felt myself move closer to her, my heart pounding inside my chest. I held my lips nervously over hers, the temptation was excruciating. I imagined what it would be like, kissing her and before I knew it, my thoughts were becoming reality. But as my lips closed into hers, Franziska gasped loudly. I pulled back quickly, shocked. Had she been awake the whole time? I began to fell my limbs trembling with nerves. I was wrong, however. Her body began to shake violently as Franziska arched her back, before crying out a blood-curdling scream.


	5. Emotions

Chapter 5

I felt my heart stop in fright as her screamed ringed out in the tiny room. The scream was, painful. It was a scream of sorrow, a piercing, heartbreaking scream. A similar sound I had heard in the cobblestone alleyway. I snapped out of my daze, ignoring my pain to turn my attention more formally to hers.

"Franziska!" I said fiercely, grabbing her by the shoulders. I shook her quickly, trying to relieve her pain. She suddenly jolted awake in my arms, her eyes wide open, her breathing heavy.

"Ah!" She gasped, jumping back from me. I was shocked at her expression, a little hurt. She stared at me for a second, as if she wasn't quite sure who I was before a fresh wave of tears flooded down her cheeks. She leant back into the circle of my arms, her tears soaking through my dress shirt. Not that it mattered right now.

"There, there" I soothed, rubbing small circles on her back "Did you have a bad dream?" Franziska nodded against my chest, gripping tightly to me. "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked gently. She simply shook her head, her sobbing becoming lower. It was strange how Franziska was now opening up to me. Of course, she wasn't telling me about her bad dream but simply the fact she was showing emotion, leaning into me for support was a big change. She had always been so quiet, her emotions locked away deep inside her heart. She'd always been awkward with me, when greeting me and saying goodbye. It was like she wanted to say something the whole time but the words just never came. And I think I knew what was restricting her from that.

"I'm sorry" she whispered dryly, wiping her tears away with her fingertips as she pulled away from me.

"Don't be" I said quickly "You've been through a lot today, it's understandable for you to have bad dreams like this." I could see the look in her eyes that told me that it was wrong for a von Karma but she said nothing. I heard her gasp as she winced, gripping tightly to her shoulder. "What's wrong?" I asked quickly, leaning towards her.

"M-My neck and my shoulder" She whispered "It hurts so bad." She hung her head low, cursing under her breath.

"Let me see" I murmured, taking her face between my hands. I slid my fingertips to her neck, gently unwinding the blood soaked bandages. Her cut was deeper than I remembered but it had stopped bleeding at least. I heard Franziska gasp in pain as I ran a fingertip smoothly over the wound. "Sorry" I whispered quickly against her skin. It didn't look like it would require stitches. But now, under the smooth fabric of my shirt, I could see more shallow cuts across her shoulders.

"Do these hurt?" I whispered, gently caressing her shoulder through her shirt while I reached for some clean bandages.

"N-No" She whispered "The cuts don't but they make my shoulders ache badly" I simply nodded as I began to wind the thin, white fabric around her neck. "Miles?" She asked quickly, her voice steadier.

"Yes?" I replied quickly, fastening the bandage on her neck.

"Thank you" She whispered, her voice low "Thank you for doing this." I pulled away from her neck, staring deeply into her oceanic eyes. I could almost feel she had the same feeling of awe as I did and that she looked like she liked what she saw in my eyes, in my soul, in my heart.

"Your welcome" I said quickly, shaking my head "Now, about your shoulders." I told her to turn around and sit between my legs so I could inspect them better. I carefully removed my jacket from her back, laying it on the floor beside us. Pulling at the collar of her shirt, I could see the cuts clearer. They didn't look like they were bleeding, a reassuring fact. "Do they still hurt?" I asked gently. She simply nodded, pulling at her aching muscles as if proof.

"Listen" She said quickly, making me jump a little "I-I'm really sorry about causing you so much trouble" Her voice was dry as she spoke.

"Don't worry about it" I crooned, my breath washing over the back of her neck. I saw goosebumps rise on her skin as she shuddered violently.

"But, aren't you tired?" She asked curiously.

"Yes" I said, honestly "But, the truth is, I had a bad dream too, so I was awake anyway."

"A bad dream" She murmured to herself "A…bad dream."

"Are you still cold?" I asked, noticing how her skin was still pricked.

"N-No" She said quickly "I'm fine." I thought over her words. Was she really fine? After all she had been through, not only today but throughout the whole of her life. Was she ok was suppressing her feelings, simply for her father's wishes? Was it a mere coincidence she was attacked when she was younger, too? My questions had no answers, for now.

"Here" I whispered, tugging gently at her shirt to wind my hand inside. I gripped her shoulder and began massaging it gently, in small circles. Franziska undid a few of the top buttons of her shirt, allowing me to massage the other shoulder. Her skin-although covered in scars-was as smooth as silk, something I had never thought about before. I saw her head tilt back a little, as she sighed. I was glad I wasn't hurting her. I continued to rub her shoulders, feeling her muscles unclench, feeling her relax more. As my fingertips caressed her flesh I heard a small moan escape her lips, making my head freeze though my hands continued to work. The moan rang through my ears, making my head spin. Was that moan simply an unconscious sign on my desires, or had I really heard that? I moved foreword carefully and, as her head drooped gently, I boldly pressed my lips to the back of her neck. I expected her to sit suddenly ridged, to slap my hands away from her shoulders and tell me to go sleep on the couch like I had originally planned. I closed my eyes tightly, fearing the worst and starting to regret in letting my emotions run higher than my responsibility.

But Franziska didn't moved, only the slight rocking of her body as I continued to rub her shoulders. I heard her sigh, so quiet that I only just heard it. But it was a sigh none the less. Not quite thinking what I was doing, I moved my lips across her skin, kissing gently along her neck. My hands were beginning to slow as I brushed her hair away with the tip of my nose. I felt a shock go through me, a warning sign that I really shouldn't be doing this. A sign that reminded me that this girl had just been _attacked_ and nearly _raped_ and here I was, running my hands over her, kissing her flesh. But a shiver that ran through Franziska's body and through mine was a reassuring sign that she didn't care. She had gone slightly limp in my arms as I pulled one hand out of her shirt. I lightly kissed just below her earlobe, making her gasp quickly. However her gasp was cut short as I gently slid a hand underneath her slender chin and pulled her lips hungrily to mine.

Kissing Franziska was like nothing I'd ever imagined. Sure, I had daydreamed about it, I imagined what it would be like. But actually experiencing it was another thing altogether. I was overwhelmed with a feeling of pure ecstasy as my lips shaped into hers. They were surprisingly sweet, something I had never thought about before. I moved my hand to gently cradle her face, my mind completely lost. I heard her gasp quietly as I ran my tongue across her bottom lip, allowing me an entrance. She kissed me back ,of course, her lips seeming almost as hungry as mine. As if, secretly, this was what she had been waiting for. That soon she would no longer be able to hold back her feelings, just like I had.

I pulled away quickly, waiting for a slap or a push back. She panted heavily, her eyes staring into mine before she ran her fingers through my hair, pulling me back to her. I continued eagerly, allowing her to mould back into the shape of my lips. Her tongue was almost sharp against mine, as sharp as her whip but I didn't complain, it contrasted well with her sweetness. I could feel my head slowly flooding with an overwhelming sense of passion, something I had rarely felt. But Franziska pulled away and, as I opened my eyes to see why, I noticed her eyes were drooping. She yawned loudly, suddenly tired again, making me chuckle.

She turned back to me, leaning back against my chest and closing her eyes again. I could feel my eyes swimming, my body almost shaking with the pure sense of happiness as I pulled the covers back over her. All the time I was suppressing these feelings and yet it turned out to be so easy, so simple, so wonderful. I loved Franziska, that I couldn't deny. It was something that had been playing on my mind for too long now. But I knew now that I was going to protect her at all costs, not only like a little sister or a friend but as a soul mate.

_It seemed she was asleep now, her breathing slow and heavy. I yawned loudly, suddenly overwhelmed with tiredness. All my worries from before, my bad dreams, my regrets, had gone. I had a feeling that I was going to sleep well tonight, knowing that I wasn't quite alone in a world that seemed so lonely._

"_Goodnight, Franziska" I whispered, gently kissing her lips one last time before the darkness closed in on me._


	6. Expectations

Chapter 6

My eyelids felt heavy as I forced my eyes open, only to squint against the new light shining through my bedroom window. I felt achy and tired, I just wanted to go back to sleep. I laid my head back against the headboard contently, ignoring the fact that I knew it was Monday morning and that I knew I had to work today. I began to trace back through my recent memories, a reminder of the events that took place last night. I jolted upright and looked quickly down into my lap, sighing with relief at what I was met by.

Franziska was still asleep, her head against my lap, her body in the circle of my arms. She was breathing heavily, a small smile creeping at her lips as the first rays of sun caught the smooth skin of her face. 'So last night wasn't a dream' I thought happily, still trying to clear my head of my tiredness. I glanced at the digital clock on my bedside table, the red LED lights glaring at me. 7:30am, a difficult time to make decisions.

"10 more minutes" I murmured, as if the clock could hear me. They were the only minutes I could spare this morning but at least they were a few more minutes to catch up on well needed rest, to cradle Franziska. Although she was dressed still only in my dress shirt, she was warm, radiating heat from all sides of her body. And although she slept peacefully, I could still see purplish bruises under her eyes, the scars across her neck and shoulders. The marks on her reminded me of the day I faced. It all depended on how Franziska felt when she woke up, I thought. If she was completely back to her normal self, ignoring all of what we had experienced last night, then I would go back to work as normal, continuing my tiring and lonely life. But if she woke up this morning, a smile spread on her face, her lips willing for mine, then I would go back to work as normal, except with something more to live for.

I ran my fingers softly through her hair, running the silky smooth texture between my fingers. She sighed heavily in her sleep, rolling on her back, her arms over her head. She still looked drained from the day before but her complexion seemed to be glowing, a sure sign she was getting better. She exhaled loudly, arching her back off the bed, making me jump a little. She opened her eyes, her expression so dazed it was almost funny. Her eyes were swimming, though they were barely open. She simply gazed at me, a smile playing on her lips. Though just as I was about to whisper 'good morning' she yawned loudly and rolled back into me, her breathing heavy again. I chuckled, seeing how she wasn't really awake the whole time.

I lifted her up carefully into my arms as I stepped out of bed, laying her limp body back on the sheets. I knew I was going to have to get up sooner or later and now seemed like a perfectly good time. After all, I had to be at the office early today anyway, the paperwork I had finished wasn't going to file itself. And though I desperately didn't want to leave Franziska, I knew I had to go in. Though I just wanted to sleep all day, to hold her, I had a job to do. I slipped out of my dress shirt, hanging it on the back of the bathroom door with my waistcoat. The warm water was a suction, pulling me back into unconsciousness, into a drowsy state. But I resisted the urge to be drawn back, turning the water to freezing every now and again to awaken my senses. As I showered, I thought about what Franziska would do today. Even though I wanted her to be back to her normal self, to come back into work as feisty as ever, I guess that wasn't really something I would be that excited about. If her being vulnerable and scared meant that I could soothe her and express my true emotions then I would rather she stayed that way. But I wanted what was best for Franziska, not for me. I wanted her to get better, whether it crushed me or not.

I headed back quickly into the bedroom, buttoning up a new dress shirt. I glanced towards the bed but was met by a sight I had known for far too long. An empty bed with ruffled sheets. I raised an eyebrow curiously into where Franziska might have gone. Pulling a clean cravat out of the wardrobe, I headed into the living room in search of her. But it was empty, as always and I felt a wave of panic wash over me.

That was until, of course, I heard the kettle ring sharply once and the familiar sound of pouring water emerged from the kitchen. I peeked my head swiftly around the door, still struggling to put on my cravat. A small, slender figure stood in the kitchen, pouring out boiling water into two cups.

Through the thin fabric of my shirt, I could see fresh purple bruises graze her flesh, a sign that she was probably still in pain. She placed the kettle back down and sighed heavily, running her fingers through her hair. I was nervous to talk to her, scared of what she might say. Or what she might _not_ say.

"Good morning, Franziska" I said quickly, my voice a little lower than expected. She jumped a little before turning to face me.

"Oh, your up" She said, before smiling widely "I made you some tea." I breathed a sigh of relief, not only because it looked like she was feeling better but that she seemed happier then I'd ever seen her before. She placed one of the tiny, porcelain tea cups in my hands, before gripping tightly to her own.

"Thank you" I whispered, taking a sip. It was beautifully made, the sweetness of the sugar reminding me of her lips.

"I think" She said quickly, her voice still a little weak "I need to go home today, back to my apartment." I felt my heart ache badly at her words.

"T-that's ok" I said, masking my pain with a small smile "I need to go to the office today anyway." I took another sip of my tea, ignoring the scorching burn that trickled down my throat.

"That's fine" She smiled, sauntering over to me, her tea in her hands. "Just be here when I get back, ok?" She stood up on the tips of her toes to softly kiss my lips before heading out of the room. I stood, frozen to the spot for a minute, trying the make sense of what had just happened. She had kissed me. Franziska Von Karma had kissed me just now, in my kitchen. And what's more, she was coming back to my apartment. I felt my heart leap inside my chest, a smile spreading uncontrollably across my face. I knew it. I knew she loved me, I knew she felt the same way. All this time, she had been exactly the same as me. Held her feelings back because of the pressure, her nerves, the pride of her father.

I was so glad I had told her-more like showed her-how I felt. It made it so easy, it made me feel ecstatic, it made me feel loved. I turned quickly, planning to follow her but she was gone. The faint sound of the shower running stopped me from panicking, a nice sound that rang in my hazy morning head. Of course, she hadn't needed to ask to shower but I knew she wouldn't have anyway.

I drank my tea swiftly before pulling on my jacket, grabbing my suitcase and headed swiftly for the door. Though I would had rather stayed inside all day, holding Franziska close with the feeling she would once again return to her old self. A good thing…for her. But I sucked up my emotions and closed the door tightly behind me, trying to forget the beautiful girl back inside my apartment.

"Dammit" I cursed under my breath "I knew it, I just knew it." Standing in the middle of my office, I exhaled angrily. Generally when I was correct I was proud and overwhelmed with a boost of self confidence. However, sometimes I really wish I wasn't right all the time. Like now, as I stared at the scattered papers over the dark wooden floor, I hated being right. I was in too much of a rush to care before whether my door slamming had knocked my papers off the desk, but I could see I was paying the price. I swiftly began gathering the papers from the floor, a little annoyed by this delay. It would take me twice as long to file now.

"Mr. Edgeworth?" A booming yet somehow timid voice came from outside my door.

"Come in" I said swiftly, trying to pick up the papers quicker. A morning visitor was not something I needed, yet I didn't have the heart to tell the familiar voice to go away.

"Sorry to bother you, pal" the voice became louder as I heard the door swing open "I just…oh!" I looked up from the floor to find detective Gumshoe in my doorway, a box in his hands, a smirk on his face. I rolled my eyes as he began with his childish giggles. "I'll give you a hand, sir" He said quickly, noticing my glare. He placed the box on the floor and quickly rounded up the remaining scattered papers for me.

"Thank you" I said, a little embarrassed as I took the papers from him.

"No problem, pal" He grinned as I neatly stacked the files back on my desk.

"Anyway, what can I do for you detective?" I asked as I took swiftly to my seat and began ordering my work.

"Ah!" He gasped, a sudden realisation hitting him. He picked up the tatty box from the floor and placed it on the edge of my desk. "It's for you" He smiled widely.

"For me?" I asked, surprised by the size of the box. Had I ordered anything recently?

"Well, not for you as such" He mused, running his fingers through his messy hair "It's for Ms. Von Karma."

"For Franziska?" I asked, confusion tinting my voice.

"Yes, I heard she came home from Germany yesterday, just in time for her 19th birthday" He smiled, his cheeks flushing red "So, I, uh, I baked her a cake." He almost mumbled his way through the last of his sentence, embarrassment drowning his words. I gingerly opened the lid to be met by a poorly made cake layered with thick chocolate icing. Written across the cake in light blue icing was the words 'Happy 19th birthday.'

"You made this?" I asked, my voice ringing in surprise. What creature had possessed him to make a cake like this? I saw his smile fade at my words, his eyes widen with sadness. "That's very thoughtful of you" I said quickly, my voice gentle.

"You think she'll like it?" He asked eagerly, the smile quickly returning to his face.

"Yes, I do" I said, mirroring his smile. Franziska wasn't one for parties but, with all honesty, the cake looked pretty delicious. I felt a shock jolt through me as I sat up rigidly, my hand reaching for my jacket pocket. Gumshoe's cake had reminded me. But I sighed heavily with relief as my fingers grazed the tiny box, the silky bow. I was relieved it hadn't fallen out of my pocket.

"Where is Ms. Von Karma anyway?" Detective Gumshoe asked, ignoring my sudden panic.

"She's at home" I muttered, coughing loudly "I suppose."

"You suppose?" He asked warily, raising an eyebrow. I ignored his gaze and tried to focus on my work. "Did something happen yesterday?" My eyes widened at his comment, my skin stood on end.

"No, nothing happened" I said quickly yet sternly "She's fine, nothing happened." He stared at me for a minute, his eyes squinted. 'Please, don't try be a good detective' I thought over and over.

"Whatever you say, pal" He grinned widely before excusing himself from my office, leaving the cake box on the table. As I stared at the box- now ignoring my work- I was cast back to my time in Germany, another birthday for the ruthless prosecutor I was. I remembered the first birthday without my father, the tears I had cried.

It had been so much different. No cake, no balloons. I guess I felt sorry for myself. But Franziska, being so young, had comforted me and drew me a picture while Manfred presented me with my very first cravat. It wasn't a party and it wasn't my family, but it felt like it and that was all that mattered.


End file.
